Up to 50 injured in 'strong movement' on Trans-Tasman flight

Dozens of people are believed to have required medical treatment after landing on a LATAM Airlines flight to Auckland International Airport this afternoon.

In a statement, LATAM Airlines reported that flight LA800 — a Dreamliner service on the Sydney-Auckland route today — "had a technical problem during the flight which caused a strong movement".

The statement said the plane landed at Auckland Airport as scheduled.

"As a result of the incident, some passengers and cabin crew were affected. They received immediate assistance and were evaluated or treated by medical staff at the airport as needed.

"LATAM regrets the inconvenience and injury this situation may have caused its passengers, and reiterates its commitment to safety as a priority within the framework of its operational standards."

Conflicting statements outlined how many were injured, with St John estimating up to 50 required medical attention.

Thirteen patients were transported to Middlemore Hospital, according to a Hato Hone St John spokesperson, one in a serious condition.

LATAM Airlines issued a statement about 7.45pm, saying: "As a result of the incident, seven passengers and three cabin crew members were taken to Middlemore Hospital for medical checks, with no serious injuries reported."

In an update issued earlier, just after 7pm, St John said: "Our ambulance crews assessed and treated approximately 50 patients, with one patient in a serious condition and the remainder in a moderate to minor condition. So far, 13 patients have been transported to Middlemore Hospital by ambulance."

St John had previously stated medical crews assessed and treated two dozen patients at the scene, with eight of those in a moderate condition and 16 in a minor condition.

"We were notified at 3.58pm and are currently on scene with four ambulances, two operations managers, one Major Incident Support Team vehicle, one Command Unit, and two rapid response vehicles," a St John statement said.

An Auckland Airport spokesperson said that its emergency services team were also assisting the response by St John.

"We can confirm that Auckland Airport’s Emergency Service team and Hato Hone St John are responding to a request for medical support from a LATAM flight, which landed from Sydney this evening."

Canadian passenger Brian Jokat described the terrifying ordeal onboard to 1News, saying he was "one of the lucky ones that walked off unscathed".

"It happened so quick. There was no pre-turbulence – there was no bumping at all," he said.

Jokat said he was forced awake by a "massive jolt" as the plane momentarily "dropped out of the air".

"I didn't even clock what was going on until everyone started screaming."

The sudden movement sent passengers who hadn't been wearing their seatbelts flying.

"I looked up to see the gentleman that was sitting next to me on the roof of the plane," he said.

"I'm looking at him fully outstretched with his back on the roof of the plane and then he came crashing down to the floor.

"It was insane – I thought I was dreaming. It was like right out of The Exorcist."

He said his shoes were sent hurtling "four rows back" and his jacket had "flown off the seat".

"I had drink spilled all over me but I was perfectly unscathed.

"I was really, really fortunate but there was a lot of people crying and cut and bruised and in shock all around me."

Jokat said the plane's engines then "kicked into gear and just took off again".

As he looked around to see the scale of the damage, Jokat said he noticed the ceiling panels had been "dislodged" from the impact of bodies hitting the roof.

In the immediate aftermath, doctors on board the flight helped attend to their fellow passengers – many of whom were "hyperventilating and panicking" from shock.

"It was pretty chaotic," Jokat said.

The pilot, who had come out to check on the passengers, told the passenger he had "just lost" his instruments.

"'Just for a few seconds, they went blank... and all of a sudden, they just came back instantly'," he remembered the pilot saying.

For the remainder of the flight to Auckland, Jokat said he sat with his headphones on in fear of further turbulence.

"Couldn't have been more happy when we touched down, I tell you."

Ashok Poduval, head of the School of Aviation at Massey University and a former commercial airline pilot, said his first thoughts were the incident was probably unexpected turbulence or a malfunction in in the autopilot system

"Turbulence is when there is no sign of bad weather and due to wind currents which may be quite strong, like the jet stream, etc. Turbulance can cause a sudden drop in altitude or severe turbulence, suddenly, which would cause injuries."

He said sudden turbulence might mean the "fasten seatbelts" sign may not be on passengers.

"[Passengers and cabin crew] may not be seated or strapped in... people may be walking around the cabin."

The other possible explanation could be a technical problem "when an autopilot either disengages or suddenly pushes an aircraft which is cruising along peacefully downwards or upwards", Poduval said.

But he said injuries in such case were quite rare. "It's a technical malfunction and it doesn't happen very often but it could have happened.

He said an instance of this was sometimes known as "the startle effect" for the way it could occur when a pilot had been sitting for hours without anything unusual happening.

In such an occurrence, Poduval said people who were not strapped in or walking around might be flung up to the roof of the cabin.

"You could have the cabin bins overhead opening and landing on passengers. People who are even seated might be flung up and then land badly which is why most airlines recommend that when seated at least have your seatbelt loosely strapped.

Poduval said the country where the aircraft was registered would usually carry out any investigation, generally "supported by the airline manufacturer of course because it's in the manufacturers interest to determine what happened".